Escape from an Ancient Civilization Ch 193

Chapter 193 Side Story 15

When Nataek, flustered, tried to push his torso upright, those red lips descended again. Breathing out hot air, Medeus tugged Nataek’s jacket down from his shoulders. As the jacket slipped, his shirt was dragged askew, and one of Nataek’s shoulders was laid bare. Medeus pressed his mouth against the smooth skin, sucking and biting at him. Nataek hurriedly struggled to pull his arms free from the sleeves.

“Medeus, wait. Let me—”

Ding—dong—!

At that moment, the doorbell rang at the front entrance. Both Nataek and Medeus froze in place.

Bang, bang, bang—!

“Hey, Lee Nataek! It’s me!”

It was Jungyeom’s voice.

“Haa…”

Medeus let a deep sigh roll out from the depths of his core.

Bang, bang, bang—!

Ding—dong—!

Was this good timing or terrible timing…?

With an awkward smile, Nataek patted Medeus’s arm.

“Hold on a second.”

Medeus brushed his bangs back and obediently moved to the side.

He had to rush out quickly. If Nataek didn’t open the door, Jungyeom was the type who would break in himself. Knocking at all was already a courtesy for Medeus’s sake. Fixing his shirt properly over his exposed skin, Nataek drew a deep breath.

Doesn’t look obvious, right?

After checking his appearance briefly, he walked to the door. Medeus followed slowly, leaning in the doorway.

Thump, thump, thump—!

“Hey!”

“I’m coming, I’m coming!”

Creak—.

“Damn, why aren’t you opening faster!”

“And how did you even know I was here?”

“I saw your car pull in.”

Jungyeom’s house was near the entrance of the village. He must have spotted Nataek’s car coming in.

“I was going to bring the car back tomorrow. Wait, I left the keys in my jacket.”

“I didn’t come for the keys.”

“Then?” Nataek asked in confusion.

“My computer suddenly crashed. Come take a look at it, just for a bit.”

Since Jungyeom was the athletic, outdoorsy type, gadgets and computers weren’t his strong suit. Nataek turned his head toward Medeus.

“Can’t it wait until tomorrow?”

“I need it tonight, but it just suddenly went dead. Please. I can’t exactly call a repairman right this second. Also—hey, what’s wrong with your lips? Did a mosquito bite you?”

The timing could not have been worse. Rubbing his forehead, Nataek glanced at Medeus again. Hidden behind Nataek’s back, Jungyeom failed to notice Medeus’s obvious arousal straining beneath his clothes. Using his body to block the doorway, Nataek pushed Jungyeom back outside.

“Wait outside. I’ll change my clothes and come over.”

As he was practically shoved out of the house, Jungyeom called back,

“By the way, did you bring pizza?”

“….”

“You didn’t, did you?!”

Thud—!

Once the uninvited guest was expelled, silence settled over the house. Nataek wore a troubled look. Since he had borrowed Jungyeom’s car and also forgotten the pizza, he couldn’t exactly refuse the request. Somehow, Medeus needed to be calmed down.

With heavy steps, Nataek left Medeus behind after promising to return quickly. Jungyeom’s house was only a three-minute drive away. As he drove, his phone buzzed. Nataek answered with one hand.

“Yes.”

• “This is from the Gromangdi Pension. Is this Mr. Lee Nataek?”

  “Ah, yes, that’s me.” 

• “About the dates you inquired last time? Someone canceled their reservation, so it looks like it’s available now. You wanted to reserve the entire property, correct?”

  “Yes, correct.” 

In an instant, the heavy weight on his mind lifted to the skies. Close to nature yet with good amenities and a clean environment, he had carefully selected this pension and inquired about it even while he was still bedridden in the hospital. Even if his own injuries could be endured, he had felt guilty about Medeus having to suffer a stifling hospital life without reason. And the date he wanted to book was also a very special day for Nataek.

“Can you also arrange the other request I asked about that time?”

• “Yes, I think so. If you give us the details and cover the additional charge, we’ll do our best to set it all up.”

  “Thank you. How do I finalize the reservation?” 

His heart began to race. The plan for that special day was falling into place.

Nothing in the world ever went exactly the way one wished. All the more so when it involved other people.

Nataek had moved down to the countryside hoping for a quiet life with Medeus. But those around them didn’t leave them alone. Jungyeom’s household was especially so.

On the very day Nataek went over to fix the computer, Jungyeom’s older sister happened to visit as well. Because they had grown up together from childhood, she was also close with Nataek. That, of course, became a reason to invite him in. Under the excuse of chicken stew and pork wraps, Jungyeom’s family pulled him into joining for a meal. Unable to refuse, Nataek ended up stopping by for an early lunch. Naturally, Medeus came along too.

As soon as they stepped into the house, the smell of food wafted thickly. Clattering dishes rang out from the kitchen, and then Junhee appeared carrying a platter. With a clip pinning back her bangs and wearing casual home clothes, she greeted Nataek.

“You’re here? Come in, come in.”

Junhee set the platter down on the large dining table and gestured to Nataek. Jungyeom was already sitting at the table. She scolded her brother,

“You brat. At least set out the chopsticks.”

“I was about to!”

Despite their age gap, the siblings bickered every day. Smiling, Nataek stepped inside. Medeus, who had been remaining near the shoe rack, finally followed. As the hall sensor light flickered on again, Junhee’s gaze belatedly turned past Nataek’s shoulder. Her eyes widened when she saw Medeus.

“That foreign friend you mentioned yesterday?”

She tugged on Nataek’s arm, leaning out to get a good look. Though he had dropped hints the night before when coming to fix the computer, seeing Medeus in person clearly surprised her. Nataek gave Medeus a glance and then reached to take his pale wrist. Though Medeus frowned at Junhee, he allowed himself to be pulled along by Nataek’s hand.

“This is Medeus. He’ll be living with me from now on.”

“Ohhh.”

Junhee nodded brightly and smiled at Medeus.

“Nice to meet you. You’re younger than Taek, right?”

Medeus, doing as he had been taught, dipped his head politely.

“What? He’s younger than us?” Jungyeom shouted, as if hearing it for the first time.

Neither Junhee, nor Nataek, nor Medeus bothered to respond. For some reason, Junhee was only more delighted, her grin widening.

“Come on, let’s eat.”

As she walked toward the living room, she murmured under her breath,

Totally hit the jackpot.

The moment they entered the living room, words of welcome poured out.

“Oh my, it’s been such a long time, Taek-i.”

Jungyeom’s grandmother clasped Nataek’s hand warmly. She had gone to bed early the previous night, which was why he hadn’t met her then. When she spotted Medeus standing behind, she reached out to clasp his arm with her wrinkled hand.

“They say you came from abroad?”

Medeus nodded awkwardly.

“Booni kept saying you were rude and impolite, but you’re a quiet, well-mannered boy. She misjudged you.”

Booni was the old granny from the house down the road who had once scolded Medeus with her cane for not greeting her. Back then too, and now again, Medeus had only remained silent. The judgments others made of him were entirely opposite.

“Aren’t you hungry? Sit down, sit down.”

Her wrinkled hand gently guided him. Seeing Medeus’s tension, Nataek winked with a soft smile. Relaxing, Medeus let himself be led quietly.

The large table was filled with steaming chicken stew and hefty slices of pork wrap. It was generosity in the form of food, typical of country hospitality. Nataek looked around and asked,

“Where’s Uncle?”

“He went sea fishing. That man is obsessed. The moment fishing is mentioned, he goes mad for it.”

The grandmother placed Medeus beside Jungyeom and then went around to take a seat opposite. Standing there, Medeus made Jungyeom visibly tense. Quickly, Nataek moved Medeus over to his right, to the far end of the table, and sat down between them.

So it was Jungyeom, Nataek, and Medeus, the three grown men in a row, yet the table had space to spare. But Medeus sat awkwardly at the low table. He couldn’t rest his long legs with stability, shifting his hips this way and that, studying the others’ composed postures. Nataek himself wasn’t that comfortable either, seated cross-legged, but he wasn’t so restless as Medeus.

Medeus’s folded legs kept bobbing up and down. Nataek placed a hand on his thigh and looked under the table. Across from them sat Junhee and her mother. There was room for Medeus to stretch his legs without bumping anyone. Giving his thigh a squeeze before letting go, Nataek murmured softly,

“You can loosen your legs a bit. Put this one up here.”

He tapped his own thigh.

Footnotes

 

1. Chicken stew (닭볶음탕, dakbokkeumtang): A spicy braised chicken dish with vegetables, very popular in Korea as a family meal. 
2. Bossam (보쌈): Pork boiled until tender, then sliced and wrapped in cabbage or lettuce with condiments. A classic communal dining dish in Korea. 
3. Pension (펜션): In Korea, a “pension” means a type of guesthouse or vacation lodge near nature, not related to retirement funds as in English. 
4. Cross-legged seating (양반다리, yangban-dari): A traditional Korean way of sitting on the floor with legs folded, common at low tables but uncomfortable for those unaccustomed or very tall like Medeus.